University remains open as once-a-decade storm hits central belt

Winds gusting up to 165mph causing havoc all over Scotland today, as public transport grinds to a halt and schools close, in the worst storm since Boxing Day 1998.

The west of Scotland appears to be the worst hit, where schools are not opening today or tomorrow. Fife and Lothian area schools closed at noon today, and are highly unlikely to re-open before next week. The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for the central belt, and police are advising all journeys on the roads before tomorrow morning to be cancelled. The Met Office has also warned that there is a “significant risk” of structural damage across Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon MP, who is standing in for absent First Minister Alex Salmond, has said that these are “exceptional circumstances” and she urged the public to “heed the advice of the Met Office and the police”.

The Tay and Forth Road bridges were closed today

In St Andrews, lectures across the university have been cancelled due to lecturers being unable to commute, as the Tay Bridge has been closed to all traffic and trains in both directions through Leuchars have been cancelled. The University Library will close at 10pm, as opposed to the usual 2am.

The University has advised all staff who live outside St Andrews “and who wish to travel home, do so in the hours of daylight”. Staff that are resident in the town, however, were asked to remain at work to “ensure a skeleton service is provided”. The email circulated to staff was also keen to point out that Fife Constabulary have advised that anyone travelling on the roads “could be putting themselves at considerable risk”.

This is in contrast to Glasgow University, which closed entirely at noon, postponing all classes and exams scheduled for today. Electricity supplies have also been affected, with Albany Park accommodation already having faced power cuts today, as well as other parts of St Andrews.